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• Asylum seekers 'ready to die' | The 24 asylum seekers staging a hunger strike on Nauru—nine of whom have been admitted to hospital—were determined to die for their cause, a refugee advocate said today. Several of the men had converted to Christianity which spelled certain death if they returned to their homeland. (Brisbane Courier Mail, Australia)
  
  

Hanukah:

• Jewish Festival of Light not biggest of holidays | As Jewish holidays go, Chanukah doesn't rank very high in stature. Rosh Hashanah (Jewish New Year), Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) and Passover are the biggies, as important to Jews as Christmas and Easter are to Christians. (The News-Press, Florida)
  
  
• Kwanzaa wishes and Hanukkah dreams | Various holiday's celebrations each bring joy in different ways (Marion Chronicle Tribune, Indiana)
  
  
• Yule tide can swamp Hanukkah's meaning | Every time I hear Adam Sandler's "Hanukkah Song," I'm reminded less of the goofy lyrics ("have a gin-and-tonica, smoke some marijuanica") than of the apoplectic reaction to it by U.S. radio host and Boston Herald columnist Don Feder a few years back: "I want to kill Adam Sandler," he ranted. "Leave it to a Jewish comedian to make the world's oldest monotheistic religion a laughingstock." (Toronto Star, Canada)
  
  
• Hanukkah celebration will begin Friday | According to the tradition, after ousting the Greek-Syrian occupiers, the Maccabees cleaned the temple and re-dedicated it. They found only a small amount of oil with which to light the holy lamps. But it miraculously lasted eight days. (Indianapolis Star)
  
  

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December (Web-only) 2003, Vol. 47